Colorado athletic director who hired Deion Sanders to resign
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The man who hired Deion Sanders to coach the University of Colorado football team is about to resign.
Colorado athletic director Rick George announced Thursday that he will leave his position at the end of the academic year. He will remain at the university in an advisory role on fundraising matters.
“After much reflection and discussion with my family since last spring, I have decided it is time for new leadership to guide the department,” George said in a statement.
“I look forward to doing everything I can to ensure a smooth transition. I also wanted to time my announcement so I can support Coach Prime and our football team this season, and I look forward to continuing in my new role.”
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New CU football coach Deion Sanders and athletic director Rick George, right, chat at the Arrow Touchdown Club during a news conference on Dec. 4, 2022, in Boulder, Colorado. (Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
George has been Colorado’s AD since 2013 and made his biggest move in 2022 when he hired Sanders. Sanders led the Buffaloes to a bowl game appearance in 2024, but will not play in a bowl game and will finish with a losing record for the second time in three seasons after a loss to West Virginia on Saturday.
Colorado is 16-19 since Sanders took over, including 3-7 this season.
“This is not who we are. We are better than this, and they deserve better than this. I want better than this. I feel like I coach better than this. I feel like we have players that are much better than the production we’re producing,” Sanders said after Saturday’s loss to West Virginia.
DEION SANDERS REVEALS BIGGEST SURPRISE AT COLORADO HOME GAMES: ‘HE NEVER FAILS’
Colorado Buffaloes athletic director Rick George, left, and head coach Deion Sanders arrive at Autzen Stadium before the game against the Oregon Ducks on Sept. 23, 2023. (Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
“Then you have to Identify the coaches. That’s us, and that starts with me because I feel like we have the core within the locker room and we should make it happen. I don’t think we’ve played against a team that is as athletically and physically better than us. “I really don’t and I’ll stand by that.”
Last year, Colorado went 9-4 and Sanders signed a five-year, $54 million extension That puts him under contract until 2029.
George expressed confidence in Sanders early last week.
“I’m proud of Coach Prime. It’s been a tough year that he’s been through. He’s been a trooper, he’s worked hard, he’s motivated. He’s doing the things I want him to do as a coach. We just have to win more FB games,” George told reporters.
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Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his team warm up before a game against TCU on October 4, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutiérrez)
In July, Sanders announced Doctors had removed his bladder after the discovery of a tumor.
Sanders said there has been no evidence of cancer since the surgery.
Doctors said a section of Sanders’ intestine was reconstructed to function as a bladder. Sanders faced questions about whether he would be fit to coach after his health scare, but remains steadfast in his commitment to Colorado.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and the NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures such as Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.